Posts Tagged Charles II

Oliver Cromwell (1599-1658): Rebel, Republican and Reformer Oliver Cromwell (1599-1658): Rebel, Republican and Reformer Part Two Oliver Cromwell (1599-1658): Rebel, Republican and Reformer Part Three Oliver Cromwell (1599-1658): Rebel, Republican and Reformer Part Four Oliver Cromwell (1599-1658): Rebel, Republican and Reformer Part Four Post-enthronement problems After Cromwell’s enthronement, his time was much taken up by the wars with Roman Catholic Spain, but his elevation, as Queen Christina of Sweden foretold, began to earn respect for him abroad. Thurloe’s State Papers include a letter from the English ambassador in Spain now informing Cromwell that Spain was eager for a treatise between the ‘King of… Full Article

Oliver Cromwell (1599-1658): Rebel, Republican and Reformer Oliver Cromwell (1599-1658): Rebel, Republican and Reformer Part Two Oliver Cromwell (1599-1658): Rebel, Republican and Reformer Part Three Oliver Cromwell (1599-1658): Rebel, Republican and Reformer Part Four Oliver Cromwell (1599-1658): Rebel, Republican and Reformer Part Three The New Babel Confusion. Before Charles was placed in his coffin at Whitehall, it became clear that a number of the judges, now faced with punishment, had refused to sign the death warrant and others had been compelled to sign by force. Cromwell is said to have examined the head of the King at Whitehall to make sure it was totally severed and he was really dead, before saying, ‘If… Full Article

The new search for historical roots Nowadays, Christians are becoming increasingly interested in the history of their churches and in the search for giants of the faith in the past who might be used as models for their future. Perhaps never before has this longing to know more about the past so motivated the churches. Of course, there are great spiritual treasures to be found in church history and much to be learnt through past triumphs and failures. However, there is also a danger in this preoccupation with the past against which we must be warned. As our churches grow sadly less and less dependent on Scripture, we tend to look for historical roots for our support. So many once Bible-believing churches who scorned tradition… Full Article

Letter to the English Churchman concerning criticism of the Reformed Church of England and praise of the Cromwellian chaos. Sir: The Letters to the Editor on the spiritual state of the pre-Rebellion Church of England swing from one extreme to the other. Ignoring historical facts, they back-project later dark sectarian interpretations onto more luminous times. The rejection of the Restitution by an alleged 2,000 (nearer 800) ministers in 1662 was a direct result of the ejection of the alleged 10,000 (nearer 7,000) Anglican ministers and scholars who were outlawed in 1643. One cannot understand a ‘tit’ without consulting the ‘tat’ which gave rise to it. The number of true Reformers and Puritans were equally balanced on… Full Article

Sir: I must reject Mr Spanner’s accusations of my alleged inaccuracies concerning a work he has not read. I research each of my letters to the EC carefully, using primary literature. The term ‘shell’ has been used since the 16th cent. for a hollow artillery projectile filled with material intended to explode on landing. Thus Reilly says of Cromwell’s bombardment: “The shells were effectively flung from their barrels to land from above and would explode on impact. The shell itself was a hollow, iron sphere, filled with gunpowder and a slow burning fuse which would detonate as it landed,” p. 60. Reilly also, obviously following Cromwell (Letters CIII-CVII, Carlyle, vol. 2), describes the shelling of Protestant… Full Article

One of several letters to the English Churchman concerning Laudianism in the Commonwealth church. Sir: Ewan Wilson’s opinions of Britain’s 16-17th century Church and myself are misconceived. Neither exonerating nor mitigating Laud’s failings and guilt, I criticise Laudian intolerance openly wherever it occurs and protest when Wilson attempts to deny Presbyterianism’s greater Laudianism. Mr Wilson fails to see the ambiguity of his original statement concerning ‘evidence of Laud’s satisfactory views on Sovereign Grace and Arminianism’. The word ‘satisfactory’ was Wilson’s (now withdrawn) and could never be mine. If Wilson did his own homework instead of demanding repeatedly that I do his, he… Full Article